Nothing's Gonna Stop My Girl
by FiveFootTwo
Summary: Inspired by the latest trailer for Pitch Perfect 2. Jeca all the way.
1. Chapter 1

"Nothing's gonna stop my girl!" he yells enthusiastically to her back as she walks away from him. She's right, this is a big deal. This is life changing. And while he's genuinely excited for her, he can't help but feel his heart constrict a little at what this might mean for him.

He smiles confidently at her and blows her a kiss as she turns to look at him one last time before entering the building. He can't help but marvel at how much has changed in the past three years. She's become softer on the edges, toning down her makeup a little and broadening her wardrobe slightly beyond combat boots, plaid, and black. She becomes more beautiful each day to him. She's still the passionate, sarcastic little firecracker he fell in love with freshman year, but now she's much, much more than that. She's his world.

He finds a coffee shop and settles in there while he waits for her. He buys a latte but doesn't end up drinking much of it. He's restless and his stomach churning with nervous energy. This was an opportunity she couldn't ignore. He wouldn't let her, even if it did mean they would end up on opposite sides of the country. This was her dream, and he just wanted her to be happy. He'd landed an internship which would most likely lead to a job with a brilliant movie composer in New York. If he played his cards right he'd be scoring movies within a year, after having learned from the best in the business.

This interview was for a paid job at a radio station. They had heard her music and asked her to interview for their prime time spot. She'd be allowed to play her mixes during the station's Club Remix segment on Friday and Saturday nights. It was the chance of a lifetime. He knew that people would hear her music and she'd blow up in this big way, it was only a matter of time. He just wished she didn't have to be in Los Angeles while he was in New York.

He's lost in his thoughts when his phone buzzes with her incoming text. He drives back to the station to pick her up and she bounds into the car, a bundle of nerves and energy as she tells him that the interview went great, that they didn't even ask her anything. It is obvious to him that the interview was only a formality.

"So do you want to start looking for a place?" he asks casually as they begin to drive away.

"Don't you think that's a little premature?" she smiles, the joy evident in her voice.

"Come on Bec, you know they're going to hire you. They recruited you!" He turns to glance at her, "I'm really proud of you, you know that?"

She beams, "I know. And I'm proud of you too, big shot movie composer in training!"

They laugh together as his insides twist a little. She looks over at him as he drives, her face revealing a mixture of happiness and fear. "I could still come to New York, you know," she says quietly. "They have radio stations there. I'm sure someone would-"

"No," he interrupts. "No, Beca. I can't let you do that. You've worked hard for this. You deserve this. I can come to Los Angeles."

"No," she responds firmly. "Absolutely not. I won't let you give up your dream."

_What if you're my dream_, he thinks, but he says nothing.

They drive all over the city, exploring it so that she can get her bearings. The location of the station isn't in the nicest area, but there are some decent looking apartments not that far away as well as all of the stores and other amenities that she would need. By the time he slides the key into the lock of their hotel room door, they're both exhausted from the day's travels. She sits down on the bed and removes her shoes, rubbing her feet a little before she slides open the heavy glass door and steps onto the small balcony overlooking the bustling streets of the city. He watches her for a moment as she takes in the view, her silhouette dark against the moonlit sky. His arms wrap around her from behind, and he buries his face in her hair, taking in her scent. He inhales deeply and he feels her relax into him slightly.

"It's going to be ok," she whispers, as if she can read his mind. Or maybe she's trying to convince herself as well.

He slides her jacket off her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor before he begins to kiss the shell of her ear with his lips. His mouth then trails to her neck and she tilts her head to give him better access. She turns in his arms and presses her lips to his, kissing him softly at first before parting her lips to allow his tongue access to her mouth. He lifts her, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carries her into the room before lowering her slowly on the bed. He takes his time undressing her, kissing every inch of exposed skin that is revealed to him and enters her slowly, and relishing the feel of her body against his. His eyes never break contact with hers as they remain open, her blue eyes sparkling even in the dim moonlight.

"I love you," he whispers into her skin.

"I love you more," she replies, and he smiles, knowing this can't possibly be true.

She can sense the shift in him as he moves inside her, because even though they've done this many times before, something feels different to her this time. It's as if he's trying to love every inch of her and commit it to memory. She cradles his face in her hands and kisses him deeply, trying to pour all of her thoughts and emotions into the kiss. _I love you. You're everything to me. You're my life. Don't ever leave me._

Later, he spoons her from behind, the length of his body pressed against her back, his arms wrapped around her waist. "It's going to be ok," she whispers again to his sleeping form.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Jesse was right, she gets the job.

Her start date is set right after graduation. She'll barely have time to finish packing her things and move into her new apartment in the complex they had found when they visited L.A. for the interview. He's headed to New York a few days after to start on his own adventure. They try not to talk about it in the months between the interview and the inevitable. Jesse, in true Jesse form, tries to spend his every waking minute with her, saying it's important that they make every moment count.

He walks her to and from class. He brings her breakfast and goes to the dining hall with her to dinner. After one particularly hot performance with the Bellas, he practically devours her in the alley between the Fine Arts and Humanities buildings. His eyes had never left hers as she danced and sang her heart out on that stage in a pair of tight black pants, heels, and a top that left little to the imagination. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he gritted out between clenched teeth as he dragged her across campus and into the alley, after deciding the trek to her dorm was way too far. He's pressing her with his hips against the cool brick wall and she can think of nothing besides the way his mouth feels on the tops of her breasts and the way his mouth is dominating hers. He bites her neck and its sure to make a mark, but he doesn't care. He wants everyone to know she's his.

"I'm getting an idea," she moans out a delayed response to his question as she feels his arousal pressing into her stomach the moment before he lifts her and wraps her legs around his waist.

"You're mine," he states unapologetically as he buries his face into her cleavage, kissing a path between her breasts.

"I'm yours," she breathes into his ear, and only then does she feel him relax slightly, his frantic movements now becoming more slow and deliberate. He enters her a bit roughly, and as they move together she studies his face in the darkness. It's quick, and they try to catch their breaths as he lowers her back to the ground and they rush to straighten their clothing.

"Not that I'm complaining," she begins, still panting, "But wow. What's gotten into you?"

He's silent for a while, breathing hard and looking off in the distance across campus. "You just don't get it do you?" he says rather sharply.

"Get what?" she asks.

"You, this," he replies, gesturing to her outfit. When her expression remains puzzled he continues, "You're perfect, Beca. You're beautiful, sexy, talented, and amazing. Every single guy who lays eyes on you wants you. Don't you see? Especially tonight, Bec! God!" He runs his hands through his hair, exasperated.

"And I'm yours, and we just had hot sex against a wall in public, and I guess I don't see what the problem is?" she responds, her eyes searching his.

He folds his arms across his chest and turns away from her. "Because Beca, because soon all eyes will be on you except mine."

_Oh._ "And I'll still be yours," she states matter-of-factly. "It's going to be ok," she adds quickly.

"You don't know that!" he nearly explodes, his voice echoing off the walls in the alley. "How can you say that?"

"Because I need to believe it," she replies meekly, her voice just above a whisper. Her shoulders slump a little, and she folds her arms protectively across her chest.

He begins to pace, the angst rolling off him in waves. "You still don't get it," he murmurs, his hands massaging his temples as he pauses to collect his thoughts. "Ever since I first saw you, you're the only one I wanted, the only one I could think about, the only one I love. I know I'm never going to find anyone better for me than you."

Tears prick in her eyes at his words, "Who says you need to be looking? Who says that a little distance is going to break us?"

He looks up at her then, his eyes shining with emotion, "I just don't know if I can do it. I'm going to miss you so, so much."

"Me too," she answers, "But we need to try. If we don't, we'll end up regretting it for the rest of our lives. I don't want to be the reason you don't get to do what you've always wanted to do, Jesse."

He sighs, because they've had this conversation more times than he can count. She walks over to face him, placing her hands on his chest, right over his heart. "I will if you will," she states emphatically, before pressing her mouth firmly to his once more.

**A/N: Yeah, I know. I suck. I had 3 stories on here and deleted them, thinking I was over Jeca and wanted to focus on my family. Then I saw that trailer and started talking to the wonderful Nora. This one's for you, babe. Shall I continue?**


	2. Chapter 2

If it were possible to be curled into the fetal position while on a transcontinental flight, she would be. Instead, she sits rigidly in the middle seat between two oblivious passengers, strangers who are ignorant to her inner turmoil. These people sit idly reading their book and watching their in-flight movie while she feels like she's drowning.

She's only just left him. A few hours ago he dropped her off at the airport, lifting her bags out of the trunk of his car and handing them over to the curbside baggage service before turning to her, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"This isn't a goodbye," he says firmly.

"It's an ellipsis?" she asks.

"Oh my god! You just made a movie reference on you own! I'm so proud!" he beams at her, breaking the tension for a moment.

She smiles briefly before reaching up to take out her ear spike. She takes his hand and presses it into his palm, folding his fingers around it. He smiles softly at her as he takes it and fastens it to the front of his plaid button down shirt, right over his heart, and pats it once before reaching for her. He folds her into his arms, kissing her earlobe, her cheek, and finally her lips. And despite the noise and bustle of the airport, it feels as though they are alone in this moment, clinging to each other one more time.

"I love you Beca," he says, the strain in his voice evident.

"I love you too," she replies, using all of her energy not to cry, because she knows she won't be able to stop. "Always," she adds.

She presses one last kiss to his lips before turning to walk away, her laptop carry-on securely on her shoulder. She glances back over her shoulder to see if she can get a final glimpse of him and finds him staring back at her, his hand covering the ear spike over his heart. She smiles and winks at him before quickly turning back around, and then those tears that had been threatening to spill all this time begin their descent down her cheeks.

She straightens herself up a bit in her seat, trying to relax her shoulders, and plugs her headphones into her iPod. Music always relaxes her, and she needs something to distract her right now. The lyrics come through her headphones:

_You understand, they got a plan for us  
I bet you didn't know that I was dangerous  
It must be fate, I found a place for us  
I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much_

She slams down her iPod in frustration, finally garnering the attention of her seatmates who narrow their eyes and look at her quizzically.

"Dead battery," she mutters as an explanation for her behavior, before she closes her eyes and rests her head awkwardly on the seat (which is clearly designed for taller people).

She wakes when she feels the plane touchdown and collects her belongings before heading to the exit. Her father arranged for her to get a used car and an apartment so she just needs to take a taxi to her new place. She smiles warmly as she swings open the door an hour later and sees that he even went as far as to have it furnished with IKEA furniture. She spies a card on the kitchen counter and goes to open it.

_Thought you might need some things to get your started. I'm proud of you, Bec. Love, Dad._

She hugs the notecard to her chest as she glances around her new place. She can't help but think that none of this would have happened if it weren't for Jesse. He's the reason she stayed at Barden. He's the reason she repaired the relationship with her father. He's the inspiration behind the music that got her this job. And again, she can't stop the overwhelming feeling of emptiness that consumes her. She collapses into her brand new chair and buries her face in her hands.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Jesse stands for an immeasurable amount of time, just staring at the place where he last saw her. It isn't until other passengers and airport security begin yelling at him to move his car that he finally snaps out of his trance and gets back into the car to leave.

The car radio begins playing something by Ed Sheeran and Jesse starts punching the dashboard, trying to silence it. He can't handle this right now. He can't handle anything right now. He pulls over to the side of the road and rests his forehead to the top of his steering wheel, trying to regain his composure.

_It's just an ellipsis_, he repeats to himself. It's not over. He'll see her again soon. So why does he feel like he can't breathe anymore?

He closes his eyes and remembers last night. They stayed up all night together, not wanting to miss a minute and now he's feeling the effects of it, but it was worth it. The graduation ceremony was as all graduation ceremonies are, boring. Afterwards they went to a great party with all their friends, and he held her close as they danced and sang and laughed together. And later, in her dorm room among all the boxes of her packed up belongings, they had sat side by side on her bed, her hand clasped firmly between his.

"Bec," he whispered, turning to look at her.

She wouldn't meet his gaze, nervously picking at the hem of her skirt. He reached over to lift her chin and finds that her blue eyes are filled with tears. "Oh, Bec," he repeated, his heart breaking as he pulled her into a hug. "It's going to be ok."

"I'm so scared," she admitted, something she never admits to anyone.

"Of what?" he prompted.

"Of failing, of going somewhere new, of leaving you," she murmured into his neck, her fingers stroking the back of his head.

"Me too," he replied, "But we'll be together. Just not physically."

"But that's the best part," she laughed weakly, pulling back to look at him. Her face said it all, everything that he had wanted to say since they made this decision to leave each other.

_I love you._

_I want you._

_I need you._

He reached for her, his lips meeting hers in a searing kiss, his hands threading through her hair. In a matter of moments their clothes have hit the floor and he's pushing her back on the bed, hovering over her.

_You're everything to me._

_You're my world._

He kissed her then, and it amazed him that after three years with her, he still sees sparks, and he still feels this electricity between them that can only be described as love. They made love slowly, taking the time to rediscover each other, and he kissed away her tears as they fell.

_Don't go._

In the early hours of the morning, they lay curled together talking. They reminisced about their days together, about their friends, talking about happy times.

"I wish I hadn't been such a bitch to you freshman year," she said. "I was an idiot."

"Yes, you were," he teased back.

"Someone is awfully full of himself," she replied, in a tone more soft than mocking. She reached out to trace the outline of his jaw with her fingertips as they lay facing each other. "I love you, weirdo."

"I know," he answered, his palm running down the length of her side and stopping to rest on her hip.

"Now come here," she said, pulling his mouth back to hers before straddling him. "We need to make up for lost time."

He swore that he couldn't possibly love her more, until now, when moments ago she had pressed her ear spike into his palm Claire-style. He runs his fingers over it once more before pulling back into traffic and driving back to campus to finish packing his things.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It's been three weeks since she started at the station and all of her jitters have dissipated.

"Hey Paul," she greets the station manager as she hands him a cup of coffee on her way to the booth. Paul is a few years older than her and became manager because his father owns the station.

"Hey Beca," Paul responds, giving her a bright smile as she walks by, "Loved your latest track," he adds.

"Thanks," she smiles shyly before closing the door behind her. She settles into work, blocking everything else when she's in the zone. The past three weeks have flown by as she learned the ropes here, and she's finally feeling confident and self-assured once more.

She and Jesse text all the time and talk via Face Time at night, but she misses him terribly. She tries not to dwell on it, as it does nothing to improve her situation. Chloe had visited her yesterday, having moved to Los Angeles too after graduation, and she was happy to see her friend.

She invited Paul to hang out with her and Chloe that night, thinking that the two of them would hit it off, and she'd gone home feeling happier than she had since she moved out here.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Jesse ran down the streets of New York, a cardboard tray of hot Starbucks coffee in his hands. He darted into the building and into the elevator. As the doors swung open, he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Assuming it's his boss nagging him about the late arrival of his coffee, he pulls out his phone and glances at the caller ID.

Chloe? Why would she be calling him at this time on a work day? He hits ignore, quickly deposits the coffee in his boss' office, and ducks into the bathroom to return the call.

"Chloe? It's Jesse, is everything ok?" he asks, his heart beating frantically.

"Yes, everything is fine. I just saw Beca yesterday," she tells him.

"And she's ok?" he asks again.

"Yes, Beca's ok," she reassures him, "She showed me around her work and afterwards we hung out with her boss, Paul. He's the station manager. Beca thought we'd hit it off, but he's not interested in me."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Jesse responds, still unsure of why she's telling him this.

"Look, Beca doesn't know I'm calling you, and please don't tell her I did," she rambles anxiously, "And she's not aware of anything or acting on anything or doing anything because she loves you and—"

"Chloe," he cuts her off, "Just tell me."

"The reason Paul wasn't interested in me is because he's interested in Beca," she blurts.

_Oh._

**A/N: I made references to Garden State, The Breakfast Club, and the song lyrics are from Big Data – Dangerous (feat. Joywave). I'm sorry to report that I lost all of my old stories and none of my attempts to restore the files worked. So sorry folks, I'll just have to write new things to make it up to you. More to come…  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Jesse hangs up the phone after talking to Chloe. He needs to sit down, or punch something, or take the next available flight to Los Angeles. He exits the bathroom in search of something cold to drink. His boss, Albert, is walking down the hall shuffling papers.

"Hey Jesse?" Albert asks, stopping to look at his intern, "You play piano and sing, right?"

"Yes sir I do," Jesse replies, forcing a smile.

"Then follow me," Albert responds, gesturing in the direction of the studio where all the music is composed. So far Jesse has mostly been running errands and organizing Albert's schedule. He's never been asked into the studio before.

Albert hands him the papers he's carrying, "Look at these and tell me what you think."

Jesse looks at them. They're sheet music and he begins to play the melody in his head before he motions to the piano, "May I?" he asks Albert.

Albert nods and Jesse moves over to the piano, beginning to play the notes he sees on the pages. "It's beautiful," Jesse says after a moment, "What's it for?"

"It's for a scene in a rom-com when the guy finally gets the girl," Albert explains, "But something in it isn't quite right and I can't put my finger on it."

The smile Jesse had plastered on his face falters a little. "Something wrong?" Albert questions.

"Just missing my girlfriend," Jesse admits.

"She's in L.A. right? And what does she do again?" he adds when Jesse nods.

"She works for a radio station now, but she is a genius at producing music and mixing tracks together. Like, really brilliant," Jesse tells him.

"And from the photo you have on your desk of her, I can see that she's beautiful too," Albert says.

"She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Jesse replies honestly.

"So the question is really, if she's so amazing, then why are you sitting here with me?" Albert responds, his eyes twinkling in amusement at his young intern.

"Because we had opportunities on opposite sides of the country, and I couldn't ask her to give hers up, and she didn't want me to miss out on the chance to work with you," Jesse explains.

"I see," Albert nods, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Listen, Jesse, I've been working on this song for weeks and can't seem to fix it, so how about you have a crack at it? Maybe send it over to your girl and see what she thinks, too, ok?"

"Yes sir, absolutely," Jesse says enthusiastically, "Thank you."

Albert smiles before turning to leave. He turns back to Jesse in the doorway, "Oh and Jesse? If this girl is as wonderful as you say she is, then don't let her get away. You fix this for me and we'll talk more about your future here, ok?"

And Jesse's answering smile is the first genuine one he's had in weeks.

His thoughts return immediately back to Chloe's call. It's not Beca he's worried about, because he trusts her completely. It is other guys that Jesse doesn't trust. He knows how men look at her, and he also knows that she's oblivious to it.

He thinks back to their Junior year at Barden. By then, they had been dating for over a year and both had taken over as leaders of the Bellas and Trebles. They had several great singers audition for the Trebles and Jesse was feeling confident that they'd actually have a shot to beat the Bellas this year. That was, until aca-initiation night when all the groups got together for drinks and signing on campus. Beca had taken over control of the music and she was playing her mixes while Jesse mingled with their friends in the crowd. It wasn't until Benji punched him hard in the arm that he noticed it, one of the new Trebles chatting with Beca.

"Damn! I didn't think Chad had it in him!" another initiate, Shane, says to Jesse, gesturing over to Chad and Beca. "He's going straight for the prize!"

"What are you talking about?" Jesse asks, trying to maintain an even tone.

"Dude, her, over there," Shane points at Beca, "She's the hottest girl here. And Chad says she's amazing. Great voice, smart, sexy as hell, and a little firecracker. He's had it bad for her since the first day of semester."

"Yeah, she's really something," Jesse responds truthfully, watching as Chad says something to Beca and she laughs while doing a scan of the crowd, probably looking for her boyfriend. Her eyes finally land on his and she gives him a breathtaking smile.

"And that rack!" Shane is still rambling when he catches Beca looking at Jesse. "Dude, do you know her?"

"Well, we're the leaders of rival a cappella groups," Jesse replies blandly, his eyes never leaving Beca's. While Shane stands there slack-jawed, Jesse descends the steps of the amphitheater. He reaches Beca and snakes his arms around her waist, pulling her close before kissing her passionately, his tongue delving into her mouth. Beca responds immediately into the kiss, earning wolf-whistles and catcalls from their friends while Chad stands there sheepishly, his hands shoved into his jean pockets. Jesse breaks the kiss and looks over at Chad without releasing Beca.

"Chad, I take it you already know my boyfriend, Jesse?" she asks, looking between the two men.

"Thanks for keeping my girl company," Jesse says to Chad, punching him a little too hard in the shoulder for good measure.

"Yeah, uh, you're welcome," Chad mumbles before he heads up into the crowd towards Shane.

Jesse shakes his head at the memory of how he had stayed by her side for the rest of the evening, and when she finally called him out on it he was amazed at her naivety.

"Dude, I'm not a little kid. You don't have to guard me all night," she said as they walk back to his dorm.

"I wasn't guarding you," he clarifies.

"Then what do you want to call it? Staking your claim?" she shoots back.

"I was just letting them know that we're together, you know, trying to let them down easy," he answers.

"By attacking my face?" she retorts, but she's laughing now. He pulls her close to him.

"You still don't get it, do you?" he asks softly, and all traces of laughter leave her face as he looks at her intently. Beca had always been beautiful, but since freshman year she had changed from the sullen, sarcastic alt-girl into a softer, more confident, more mature version of herself. "You're more beautiful to me every day, you know that?" he whispers.

"Maybe you should get your eyes checked," she responds jokingly before adding, "You're not so bad there yourself, mister," and then she's kissing him once more.

It's not like Jesse blames other guys for noticing her. They'd be blind not to notice. It probably took this Paul all of two seconds to fall for her. What worries him is how far Paul will go to see that his feelings are known and possibly reciprocated. Jesse knows how guys think, and that's what concerns him.

"Other girls notice you too," she points out as he opens the door to his room and she moves to sit on his bed.

"Yeah, ok," he laughs, rolling his eyes a little.

"No really, they do," she says, "The only reason you don't know about it is because I've had them all killed."

He chuckles, "Oh really, is that so?"

Her face lights up into a wide smile, "Well, see, I kinda like to think of you as mine, weirdo."

He gets on the bed, pulling her down with him, "Well that's good, because I'm all yours." 

He sits at the piano, his body aching for her as he recalls that night vividly. He'd ended up marking her deliberately with a hickey to remind Chad and Shane she was his, and when she discovered what he'd done it had resulted in a wrestling match. After which they were in her bed breathing heavily while she tossed his boxers back at him. "Get dressed loverboy," she'd said, as she walked naked into the bathroom, her tattoos and porcelain skin all visible for only him to see. And before she could get dressed again he was pulling her back into bed, kissing every inch exposed of skin he could reach.

He takes a picture of each page of sheet music with his phone before emailing them all to her. Then he dials her number.

"Hey you," she says affectionately when she answers.

"Hey," he replies softly, "I miss you so much, Bec."

"I miss you too," she answers. "So how's it going with Albert?"

"Great, actually," he replies. "He just gave me the sheet music for this new song he's working on and he can't get it quite right. He asked me to give it a listen and tweak it and said I could send it your way too. It's for the part of the movie where the guy finally gets the girl."

"That's great Jess!" she replies enthusiastically. 

"I emailed you the song," he says, "So whenever you get a chance."

"Absolutely," she states.

"So how are things going there? How's Paul treating you?" he asks.

"He's great, really friendly and nice," she answers, "And he's letting me have free reign on the playlist, so I've been adding in a lot of my work."

"That's wonderful Bec," he says, "I'm really proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too," she replies, her smile evident in her voice.

"Thanks," he pauses for a moment before continuing, "So Paul's been friendly?" he adds.

She sighs into the phone, "Chloe called you, didn't she?" Beca asks.

"Yes, she told me you guys all went out together," he admits.

"And what else did she tell you?" Beca demands.

"She said that you were trying to set her up with Paul but that he wasn't interested in her and she thought that maybe he was interested in you instead," Jesse blurts.

She laughs, "Yeah, I figured. Jesse, you have nothing to worry about. I love you," she says matter-of-factly.

"I know, and I love you too," he answers, "But I can't help but think that maybe Paul hired you because—"

"Because why, Jesse? Because he wanted to get into my pants?" she snaps angrily, "Right of course that's the reason. It has nothing to do with my talent or my music or any of that!"

"I didn't say that!" he retorts, "I didn't mean that at all! Why are you putting words into my mouth?"

"Then what did you mean, exactly?" she asks icily.

"I just want you to be careful. I'm trying to protect you," he says.

"No, you're trying to protect yourself," she grits out, "Look, I'm going to go now, before this conversation gets any worse. Bye, Jesse."

With that, she hangs up, and all Jesse can do is stare at his phone once more.


	4. Chapter 4

She's grateful it's break time at work, and she throws her phone angrily into her purse and says to Paul, "I'm going to take a little walk."

She's furious with Jesse. How dare he imply that Paul only hired her because he found her attractive? Beca has always doubted herself, and his even hinting this made her question everything again. She's angry at him for that. He's constantly pointing out that men find her desirable, and no matter how many times she tells him that it doesn't matter to her, he is relentless. So what if they like her? She pays them no attention, because she loves Jesse so completely.

Her phone vibrates with yet another incoming text and she finally pulls it out of her bag to check. She knows Jesse wouldn't leave things like this for long.

_I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to imply anything. _

_I just miss you, ok? A lot._

_I'm going crazy here without you._

_I love you Beca. Please forgive me._

She smiles a little, and her heart aches for him. She can't handle this right now. The distance between them is unbearable, and the only thing keeping her going was her success at work. The thought that this might not be genuine is really messing with her head.

"Damn you Jesse Swanson," she says out loud as she walks, because he's the only one who can make her feel better when she feels like this, and now he's the reason she feels like this. This is why she pushed him away freshman year, to avoid feeling this pain. This is why she didn't ever want to fall in love.

Her phone vibrates again.

_Bec, please. I'm nothing without you._

She sighs audibly before pausing to think and then typing her reply.

_I'm sorry. I miss you too. It's making me a little crazy. I love you. Still at work - Ttyl_

She knows he'll be relentless until she responds, and she still has hours of work to go before she can leave for the day. She still has a scowl on her face as she walks back into the station.

"Trouble in paradise?" Paul asks as she resumes her seat in the booth.

"Yeah, no," Beca begins, not really sure what to say, "Just a bit of young adult angst, I'm fine."

"I'm here if you need me," Paul replies, smiling warmly at her, and she feels her insides turn uncomfortably.

"Ok, great thanks," she replies, turning her attention back to her job. She checks her email and sees that Jesse sent her a file containing the music from Albert's song. She prints it out and goes over to the keyboard, tapping the melody out. She plays it several times before returning to her desk to work.

She spends the next several hours working on the song. She wants it to be perfect for Jesse, and she thinks her adjustments really improved the overall tempo and sound. She writes out her changes and scans them along with a rough demo of the song and emails them back to Jesse.

Jesse wakes in the morning, exhausted and tense. He hadn't heard anything back from Beca last night and he wasn't sure where they stood. After a quick shower, he picks up his cell phone and heads into the kitchen for breakfast. His tiny studio apartment is cluttered with DVDs and photos of her are everywhere. He clicks open his email as he waits for the coffee to brew and sees he has one from her.

_Here's the song with a few minor tweaks. I hope it's what Albert needs. I love you Jesse. Love, Beca_

He scans over the copies of the sheet music and then clicks on the attached song. The melody begins to play though his tiny phone speakers. She's singing the original lyrics, and it's beautiful and perfect, and he's amazed at how gifted she is with music yet again. He had tried for hours to fix the song, and yet somehow she was able to do it instantly. He eats quickly, eager to get into the office to share it with his boss.

"So I sent this over to my girlfriend, Beca," Jesse explains when he sees Albert, "And this is what she came up with." He hits play and Beca's soulful voice fills the small office. Albert freezes, entranced by the music and Jesse's heart is pounding.

"That's her singing?" Albert questions, and Jesse nods. "Do you think she'd record it for us? She's perfect. I want her to be on the final track."

"Oh my gosh, really?" Jesse is thrilled, "I can talk to her but I don't see why she wouldn't agree. Does she have to come here to do it?" he asks hopefully.

"No, I can arrange for it in Los Angeles if that's easier for her. And Jesse?" he turns to look at his intern, "Bravo!"

"Thank you sir, but it was all her," Jesse says modestly.

"Well then thank you for having the sense to send it to her," Albert grins broadly before turning to leave.

Jesse knows that Beca won't be awake yet, so he types her an email.

_Thank you so much for that song. Albert loves it and wants you to sing the vocals on the track. He'll let me know the details later and said you can do it from L.A. You're amazing. I love you. Jesse._

Beca rolls over in bed and wakes abruptly when she feels nothing but empty, cool sheets in the place where Jesse is supposed to be. She sighs and rubs her eyes, reluctantly shuffling into the bathroom to start the day. She's happy to have later hours, but it seems that she's working when other people her age are having fun. Also Jesse's hours completely conflict with hers, and they can't seem to reconnect lately. She opens her emails and immediately taps on the one from him, her smile brightening as she takes in the message. Albert wants her to sing on an actual movie soundtrack? Wow. She opens her text messages and types one out to Jesse.

_This is amazing, wow. Tell him I'd be honored. I just hope I didn't steal your thunder._

His reply comes moments later.

_Not at all. You're brilliant and I love you so much. I can't thank you enough. Albert is thrilled and I think this is going to open doors for me. And I owe it all to you._

She smiles, and suddenly she misses him so much she can't breathe. _I can't do this anymore. Come be with me. _She types and then deletes it, because it isn't fair to him. Not when he may be getting his big break. So instead she types a much simpler message.

_I miss you._

She arrives at work feeling better, wearing her favorite outfit and accessories today in an attempt to brighten her mood. She is just settling in at her desk when she sees Paul approach.

"Hey Beca," he greets her, "You're looking great today."

"Uh, thanks," she replies awkwardly, looking down at her keyboard.

"So I was thinking that maybe you want to get something to eat after your shift?" he questions, his voice hopeful.

"No, thanks," she answers politely, still not looking up at him. "I don't think that would be appropriate considering you're my boss and I have a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend across the country, right?" he prompts.

"Yes, but—" she begins.

"Look," he interrupts, "I like you. I just want to get to know you better, see if there could be something between us."

"There won't be," she says adamantly now, narrowing her eyes at him, "I am in love with Jesse. I'm flattered Paul, but the most we can ever be is coworkers."

"How about if you don't work here anymore then?" he asks, and this time his pitch changes.

"Is that a threat?" she counters.

"No, not a threat," he replies, "But I run the station. I'm in charge. I make all the decisions about what gets played and what doesn't. I can advance your career or not. Think about it."

And with that, he walks away.

Her skin is crawling with uneasiness, and she grabs her cell phone and heads to the bathroom. She taps his name and waits for the call to connect.

"Beca?" he asks, "Aren't you supposed to be at work? What's wrong?"

"I am at work," she replies, her tone hushed. "Paul just came on to me, asked me out, and I turned him down. And then I think," she stops to take a breath in an effort to calm herself down, "I think he threatened me."

"What?" Jesse nearly shouts into the phone. "What do you mean? Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?"

"No, no," she replies, "Nothing like that. But when I turned him down he basically said he could make or break my career."

"What an asshole," Jesse is furious. He takes a deep breath, "When do you get off work tonight?"

"I just started my shift," she answers, "So in eight hours. Ten o'clock tonight. Jesse, what do I do? I can't quit. I need this job for the money."

"Update your resume and start sending it out again. In the meantime, try to avoid Paul as much as you can. You still have that recording app on your phone, right? If he talks to you again, record him. I'm so sorry, Bec."

"Me too," she whispers, trying to fight back tears.

"Call me when you get home," he tells her, "I don't care what time it is. And text me or call me if anything else happens."

"I will," she answers. "I love you, Jesse."

"I love you too," he replies.

She hangs up the phone and leaves the bathroom, quickly returning to her desk and trying to act as if nothing had happened. She's lucky that Paul doesn't speak to her for the remainder of her shift. She ends up staying a little later than usual, not wanting to stop working on one of her mixes that she finally got just right. As she throws her bag down at home and flops onto the sofa, she picks up her phone and calls Jesse.

"I'm home," she tells him when he answers.

"Thank god," he breathes a sigh of relief into the phone, "I was really worried about you."

"I'm ok," she assures him, "I didn't even see Paul for the rest of my shift. I just stayed late to work on my music."

"Tell me about it," he replies, and as she launches into a description of the songs she's layering together and the ideas she has for others, there is a knock on her door.

"Hold on Jesse, there's someone here."

"At this hour?" he asks, "Be careful Bec, check through your peephole to see who it is."

"I know, I know," she laughs, but her heart is pounding at the thought that it could be Paul.

She glances through the peephole and sees the distorted image of a man with dark hair. "I can't see who it is," she tells Jesse on the phone.

"Well then maybe you should open the door," he says, and she hears his voice through the phone and through the door simultaneously.

She flings open the door to find him standing there, and she's in his arms in two seconds flat. Her arms are around his neck and her legs around his waist as he enters her apartment carrying her, dragging his bag behind him. He kicks the door closed behind them.

"Oh my god Jesse!" she manages to get out in between kisses, "How are you here? Why are you here?"

"I couldn't leave my girl alone with that creep," he replies, reluctantly prying his lips away from hers and lowering her down to the floor. "I told Albert what happened to you and before I know it he's handing me an airline ticket confirmation."

Beca smiles and pulls his head back down to hers, kissing him senseless again. They pull apart, and he leans his forehead on hers. "There's more," he starts, reaching into his bag and handing her a sheet of paper."

"Jesse, this is an airline ticket to New York. For three days from now," she gapes.

"Yes, yes it is," he answers, smiling widely. "Albert says he wants you to come out and record the song and he'll pay you. Beca, it's more than you make in a month. And then he said he has a million connections and he can get you a job anywhere you want. Especially since he thinks the song is going to be a hit."

"Are you serious?" she asks.

"Yes," he answers. "So I'm here to escort you back to the station tomorrow and put that jackass Paul in his place. Oh, and so you can quit too," he adds, sweeping her hair over her shoulder and pressing his lips to the soft expanse of her neck.

She sighs, enjoying the sensation, "Hey Jesse?"

"Mmm?" he replies, pulling her flush against his body.

"Come here," she tugs him by the arm, leading him into her bedroom. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," he whispers, scooping her up bridal style and placing her on the bed before climbing in beside her.

They spend the night rediscovering each other and making up for lost time before finally falling asleep in each other's arms. And for the first time in weeks, they feel whole again.

**A/N: Should I continue or end it here?**


	5. Chapter 5

She opens her eyes slowly, blinking them several times as they adjust to the sunlight streaming in through the curtains on her window. It takes a few seconds before she registers his presence on her left, his body curled into hers, and his arm draped across her waist. She shifts, turning to face him, and studies his sleeping form.

His eyelids flutter as she runs a hand lightly through his tousled hair. His arms reach out, pulling her against him as he nuzzles into her hair.

"Good morning," he murmurs into the crook of her neck.

"Do we have to get up?" she groans, stretching, "We can just stay here for the rest of our lives, right?"

"Mmhmm," he replies, nibbling on the shell of her ear before kissing his way down her neck.

She grabs him, pulling his lips to hers and kissing him deeply before abruptly pulling back. "I have to get ready for work," she states before climbing out of bed and heading in the direction of the shower.

He groans at the loss of contact and his eyes are glued to her naked form as she stops and turns around in the doorway of the bathroom. She tosses her hair over her shoulders and then brushes her fingertips lightly along her collarbone and down between her breasts, biting her bottom lip suggestively. "You could join me," she states as more of a fact than a question.

He doesn't need to be asked twice.

Later, he drives her to the station to talk to Paul. "It's probably a good thing I'm moving," she tells Jesse, "Because I'm pretty sure the neighbors heard us just now, and they're going to start complaining."

He laughs, "Sorry, I really missed you," he reaches over the console and holds her hand in his. "And you look really sexy right now, did I mention that?"

"I missed you too," she whispers, her eyes watching him as he focuses on the road.

"So you know what you're going to say, right?" he asks as he pulls up at the station.

"Yep, got it," she gives him a quick peck on the lips before getting out of the car and heading towards the entrance.

She walks through the station, her black knee-high boots clicking loudly on the tile floor. She watches as Paul sees her through the glass walls of his office, his eyes taking in her short, black skirt, boots, and low cut royal blue top as she heads to her desk and sits down.

"Hey, Bec," he greets her.

"Hey, Paul," she replies.

"I'm glad you're here," he begins, "I wanted to talk to you about what happened yesterday. I'm sorry if that seemed forward, I just really like you and want to get to know you better." He is really layering it on thick as he adds, "Do you think we could start over?"

"Absolutely," she replies, smiling sweetly at him as she stands from her chair, "Actually I wanted to suggest that to you, too."

Paul smiles, reaching to tuck one of her stray curls behind her ear when they hear footsteps approach from behind them. Paul lowers his hand at his side abruptly and turns to face the intruder.

"Oh," Beca interjects, "Paul, I don't think you've met my boyfriend, Jesse."

Paul extends his hand as Jesse moves around him and goes to stand by Beca's side. Jesse narrows his eyes at Paul as Paul lamely drops his hand and says, "Hey, man."

"So going back to our discussion," Beca continues, "I will definitely be starting over. In a new job. With Jesse."

"You're quitting?" Paul asks incredulously, "You can't quit!"

"Are you going to try to stop her?" Jesse interrupts, his temper flaring, "Just like you tried to 'stop' her career last night with your threats?"

"I did not threaten her!" Paul has his hands up in mock surrender, "I merely pointed out that it would be in her best interest to keep her boss happy."

Jesse's fists begin to shake, and Beca calmly grabs him by the wrists in an effort to calm him down, she gives him a stern look as if to say _He's not worth it._

"I'm sure your father would love to hear about how you're running things around here," Beca replies coyly as she picks up a crate and begins loading her belongings into it.

"You'll regret this," Paul says as Jesse lifts the crate and they start for the exit.

"Hmm," Beca answers, holding her hands up in the air mimicking a scale. "Working in New York with the love of my life for a big time music producer or staying in a dead-end job with an asshole manager who stares at my ass every time I walk by? Right, tough call there, jackass."

They brush past him and Jesse looks up at Paul, "Oh hey man, nice to meet you too," and gives him a hard punch in the shoulder for good measure.

By the time they reach the car again, they're both laughing. "Did you see his face?" Beca gasps for air. "He didn't know what hit him!"

"Yeah, other than my fist!" Jesse's laughing right along with her when he stops suddenly, his expression unreadable.

"What?" she asks.

He opens the trunk of the car, placing the crate inside before closing it again. He turns to look at her. "I'm so sorry, Beca," he says seriously.

"For what? Getting me an amazing job opportunity? Coming to help me when I needed you?" she shakes her head at him.

"No, because of Paul," he replies quietly, "You must be disappointed. You don't deserve this. You're amazing and talented and beautiful and—"

She silences him with a kiss, "And I'm never going anywhere without you again. Yes, I'm disappointed, but I can handle it."

"I know you can," he grins, "You're a tiny badass, babe."

"Shut up nerd," she retorts, but she's smiling.

They spend the next two days touring around the city together before it's time to take the flight back to New York. Beca arranges things with her dad to have the furniture put into storage until she gets settled in and hopefully lands a job. In the meantime, she's going to stay with Jesse.

"Home crap home," Jesse says as they arrive at his studio apartment. Beca laughs as she scans the small place.

"Your DVD collection takes up half the apartment!" she exclaims, laughing at him as she puts down her bags and collapses on the couch after the long flight. The traffic noise from the city streets below will take some getting used to, but she falls into a dreamless sleep anyway, curled into Jesse's side.

The next morning Jesse wakes early and heads to work. Beca is set to come into this office around eleven o'clock to meet with Albert about the song. She spends a long while showering, curling her hair, applying her makeup, and getting dressed. She's a few minutes early for the meeting, but figures she'll just hang out with Jesse until it's time to sit down with Albert. The receptionist buzzes her in and points her in the direction of Jesse's desk. She rounds the corner and sees him sitting at his desk with a leggy blonde wearing a short skirt perched on the corner of it, her legs crossed and her knees only a foot from his face. Beca narrows her eyes as she observes him saying something and the blonde giggling loudly, batting her eyelashes at him. Jesse isn't really looking at this mystery girl, his focus mainly on the computer screen in front of him.

Confidently, Beca strolls into the office, her hips swaying slightly as she looks her competition up and down. Jesse looks up from his work as sees her, his face breaking into a smile as he stands to greet her. He looks as though he's on the verge of introducing her to the blonde when Beca slides her hands around his neck, pulling him down for a heated kiss before releasing him again. She wraps her arm around his waist, leaning her body into his.

"Um, ah," he stutters, trying to regain his composure, "Beca, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is my girlfriend, Beca."

Beca extends her hand and Sarah shakes it, "Nice to meet you," the two women acknowledge each other stiffly before Sarah returns to her desk.

Beca elbows Jesse in the ribs for good measure, "Nice one there," she teases. "Good thing I'm here. I came just in time before the wolves descend."

"Hey I saved you first," he retorts, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before taking her hand and leading her in the direction of Albert's office.

Albert is delighted to meet her. He asks her many questions about her career goals and her background in music and it isn't long before he's laughing at one of her college anecdotes about Jesse. Albert claps Jesse on the back, "I can see why you missed this girl so much," he says fondly of the pair.

"And now for your final test," Albert says to Beca, spreading sheet music in front of her, "Jesse is composing a score for a comedy about cops, and I want a great mash up to tie in several key plot points. Do you think you could take a look?"

"Sure thing," she smiles, already perusing the material in front of her.

"Oh and Beca," Albert adds, "I've already had some of my friends listen to your track, and they're all interested in hearing more from you."

Beca practically skips out of Albert's office and back to Jesse's desk. "Did you hear that?" she says excitedly. "He likes my work! Other people in high places like my work! Oh my god! Jesse!"

He picks her up, twirling her around once before setting her back down again, "You're amazing, Bec. I'm so proud of you."

He showers her with kisses, starting from the top of her head and reaching to her lips where he lingers for a moment before pulling her into another hug. "I love you," she smiles up at him.

"I love you," he replies simply, before tapping his pen once on the sheet music to redirect their focus. Beca sits on his lap as they start animatedly discussing the song and the task at hand, lost in their own little world.

They don't notice that not everyone is sharing in their bliss, as Sarah glares at them from across the room.

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far! Check out my other stories which have all been restored thanks to the tech support people on this site. Let me know what you think!**


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